strathspey@strathspey.org:44973

Chris1Ronald
April 3, 2006, 7:36 p.m. (Message 44973)

Re: Over 700 schoolchildren dance in Glasgow

Ian wrote:
"And this is the marketing battle we need to fight - to convince everyone
that "the RSCDS is strict and stuffy" is an out-of-date image, and to
convince members (an in particular teachers) that behaviours that give this
impression are now inappropriate."
The leads me to reflect on the impression that is given to new teachers (and
others) at the teaching examinations. For those of us who dance in North
America and go to Summer School in Canada, the examiners serve in many ways as
Ambassadors of the Society. I have met a number of the "Ambassadors"over the
years, and what I've seen suggests that mostly they do reflect the "new"
RSCDS. That is, they are looking for potential to be good, enthusiastic
teachers, and are not overly "strict" about pointy toes, turn-out, third positions,
etc. And in general I believe the examiners do a superb job, with little
recognition or reward. But - sadly - one still sees cases where promising
teacher candidates are failed, and some get badly alienated. To say the least,
this is unhelpful in terms of projecting a more 'user-friendly' image. Do
others have similar experiences, or have we just been unlucky in this part of
the world?
Chris, New York.